Spier Wine Estate, on the R310 Baden Powell Drive outside Stellenbosch, opened a new family style restaurant on the 1st of October, called the Spier Farm Café, and we were invited with other media to come and sample the food and the ambience last week
Maureen Muller says she is the Werf Champion, she was a banker turned chef and now works at promoting what Spier is doing with their Werf (a farm homestead and farmyard). Her title is Werf Product Development Manager. There are some exciting changes and developments. The new Garden experience will be starting on the 1st of December. They are also doing picnics which you can have on the Werf lawn. They want to make it a relaxed environment for families. And something exciting for children is coming and is soon to be announced (we have been briefed but our lips are sealed until it is). They want to do healthier options; they want to impress with simple and delicious, focus on flavour and simplicity
He explained that they want to do honest food, made with care and passion, and using healthy local ingredients from the Spier farm,and local producers. The meat comes from pasture-reared animals raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones. This includes beef and pork from Spier’s Farmer Angus, who also supplies eggs, laid by happy, outdoor-roaming hens
We ordered the Caesar Salad to share and to go with lunch and were very impressed. It is a very authentic Caesar and very satisfying, a main course on its own. It is the correct cos lettuce, a good anchovy sauce, shavings of parmesan and lots of quartered boiled egg. It is sprinkled with fried breadcrumbs instead of the usual croutons
Had it not been raining, we would have sat outside. It will be a really popular place to visit when the sun shines
There are other historic buildings around the Werf and they too are being developed
The view of the restaurant from across the Werf
The inside of the Farm Café definitely has a farm feel with clean wood chairs (they are comfortable) and tabletops,
good lighting. Some chairs are bar stool height
The long serving bar has lots of cakes on offer for dessert and the usual coffee and tea stations
John could not resist taking photos of what was on offer
A classic baked cheesecake topped with strawberries, fruit preserve and blueberries
A nut topped Carrot Cake
Pain au Chocolat
Plain Croissants
Courgette muffins
Pain au Raisin topped with Pistachio and Apricot - also amusingly known in France as Snails
The bread on the table was all made by PJ Vadas at his Spier restaurant, Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery,
and was really very, very good. It was served with an olive tapenade, a red pepper humus and farm butter
We had Sourdough baguettes and some moist whole meal brown bread
Exciting times and lots of enthusiasm at Spier
She introduced us to the restaurant manager Leticia, who has been at Spier for 5 years
Maureen said Leticia has the hospitality gene, she loves to care for people and give them things that delight and surprise them
We were introduced to the Executive chef Hendrik Nel
Spier 5 Creative Block, a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39 % Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec
was much enjoyed with lunch
Spier Creative Block 2, a crisp and very enjoyable blend of 88% Sauvignon Blanc & 12% Semillon, much awarded
The menu for the event, it is a shortened version of their normal menu
They do breakfast and lunch and you can look at both current menus, just click here
The wine list
Chef PJ Vadas joined us for lunch and he is very involved in the new developments
John and several others at our table ordered the Hamburger which was much enjoyed
It comes with crisp fried potatoes and a tomato sauce
Lynne could not resist ordering the pork pie
More of a slice of terrine encased in the hot water pastry than a single pie, the flavours are superb and the meat jelly is excellent
Served with a good fruit chutney, grain mustard, a small salad and some sharp piccalilli
Our arms were twisted, so we ordered dessert. The baked cheesecake was deemed impressive by John
This is one of the best carrot cakes Lynne has ever had. Light and moist, topped with and full of nuts, and well spiced;
it is so like Lynne's secret recipe that she has to look in her safe to see if it has been borrowed
A triumph and a challenge to all of you who think you make a good one, go and taste this beauty
We hear the Chocolate tart was fantastic too
Don't hesitate, take friends and the family there soon; we know you will enjoy this experience
All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
